Goldfrapp and Peaches now have some serious competition in the sleazy end of rock and roll...

Chris Reynolds16:34 13th August 2007

The Soho Dolls history is another celebrated success of the Myspace phenomenon. Whilst searching for a keyboard player lead singer Maya met Weston Doll through the website and within 2 weeks he was playing Istanbul with his new band mates. Soho Dolls, completed by Toni Sailor, Matt Lord and Paul Stone, have an air of inevitability about their impending stardom. Maya moved her focus from corporate lawyer to musical sex symbol upon meeting Alex James of Blur at the age of 16 and things have fallen into place since. Their debut album, â€˜Ribbed Music For The Numb Generationâ€™ doesnâ€™t take its cue from â€˜Coffee and TVâ€™ or â€˜Parklifeâ€™ however. The Soho Dolls are a sleazy yet chic outfit comparable to Goldfrapp and in singer Maya they are blessed with a singer who shines in her surroundings.

The album begins with â€˜Stripperâ€™. The riff which leads it off might have Marilyn Manson tapping his feet and the sleazy guitars which are so evident throughout drive the song. Mayaâ€™s vocals are seductive one minute and then riotous the next as the refrain of â€˜Hey Stripper!â€™ repeats over the chorus. â€˜Prince Harryâ€™ sounds a little like Madonna in her American Pie days with enough sass and upbeat pop tempo to make it catchy. The album is very similar in style for the most part and thus the sumptuous â€˜Iâ€™m Not Coolâ€™ with its cabaret charm and slowing in pace serve as a highlight.

The themes are dark and underground with lust, violence and police car chases featuring prominently. â€˜Pleasures of Sohoâ€™ matches the music to the mood in a journey through the sleaze and sex of Soho. It is unfortunately the lack of variation which detracts greatest from a fine debut. When stripped down this is simple pop music with an eighties edge and can become tiresome at points such as the lacklustre â€˜Trash the Rentalâ€™. â€˜No Regretsâ€™ does feel uncomfortably similar to all sorts of music but for the most part they hit the target with what theyâ€™re aiming for. Mayaâ€™s vocals are seductive and the bass and synths are as smooth as can be.

It seems Goldfrapp and Peaches now have some serious competition in the sleazy end of rock and roll.